By: Goodluck E. Adubazi, Abuja.
The Federal Government has confirmed a case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), involving a woman who recently travelled to Nigeria from Uganda on an international flight.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, disclosed this at a media briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, confirming that laboratory tests had established the infection.
Pate said the patient, who has a recent travel history to East Africa, returned to Nigeria with symptoms on October 7, which reportedly worsened four days later before the infection was confirmed through laboratory testing.
According to the government, the woman was initially admitted to a private hospital, where she received medical attention for several days before the diagnosis was established.
She has since been placed in isolation and is receiving medical care, while public health authorities have commenced contact tracing to prevent further transmission.
The minister disclosed that 44 contacts had already been identified, with surveillance intensified at Nigeria’s points of entry to detect and respond to any additional suspected cases.
He said the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the FCT Health Secretariat, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and other relevant partners were collaborating to contain the infection.
Pate urged public and private healthcare facilities to remain vigilant and ensure that health workers maintain a high index of suspicion for possible Ebola cases, particularly among patients with relevant travel histories and compatible symptoms.
He also appealed to Nigerians to remain calm, observe proper hygiene and cooperate with public health officials as the government intensifies containment efforts.
The minister identified possible symptoms of Ebola as fever, weakness, headache and diarrhoea, advising anyone who develops symptoms consistent with the disease to seek prompt medical attention.
He assured the public that the situation was being managed, promising timely and transparent updates as efforts continued to prevent further spread.
The government said Nigeria would draw on its experience in containing the 2014 Ebola outbreak and the public health systems strengthened since then to manage the current situation.
As part of additional preventive measures, authorities have also updated guidance on health declaration forms following a dynamic assessment of the risk of international transmission.
Travellers arriving from countries with active or relevant Ebola transmission may be required to complete health declaration forms, while those developing symptoms have been urged to seek medical attention without delay.
The confirmation comes amid renewed regional concerns over Ebola following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the detection of cases in Kenya.
Before the latest announcement, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) had heightened surveillance and reviewed the country’s preparedness measures in response to the regional developments.
The agency had warned that the detection of cases in Kenya,
alongside the outbreak in the DRC, underscored the risk of international importation through air travel and population movement.
However, the NCDC had stated that Nigeria had no confirmed Ebola case as of October 6, 2026, before the latest confirmation.
Ebola is a severe viral disease that can spread through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person, as well as contaminated materials.
Health authorities are continuing surveillance, contact tracing and other response measures to limit the risk of further transmission in Nigeria.
